Get ahead of your summer socialising with partygoers’ favourite ways to beat a summer hangover. These genuine hangover cures really work!

The sun’s shining and nothing beats a cold beverage with the sun on your face. However, one too many and you won’t be feeling too sharp the next day, and a summer hangover might derail the rest of the weekend’s plans!  

Everyone knows that consuming less alcoholic drinks – and even alternating with non-alcoholic ones – will help prevent any nasty side effects later or the morning after, but we’re here to offer some other ways to help ease your summer hangover.  

We tend to drink more alcohol in the summer. Warmer weather naturally means more get-togethers. Whether at barbecues, beer gardens or boozy picnics, we’re more likely to celebrate summer with a drink in hand.  

While there’s no magic cure for a summer hangover, by focusing on rehydration, pain relief, nourishment and supplementation with milk thistle tablets, it’s possible to make one more bearable. 

Why do we get hangovers in the first place?

Mainly caused by the breakdown of alcohol in the body — specifically the byproduct acetaldehyde, which contributes to inflammation and other unpleasant symptoms — hangovers are also products of dehydration, low blood sugar and poor sleep. 

The responsibility falls on the liver to process the toxins from alcohol. Given that the liver supports almost every function the body performs, it’s no wonder we feel so dire when we’ve put it through its paces. 

Here are 10 ways to help the liver in its task, after a little too much fun in the sun:  

1. Sip coconut water, with lime

Why drink ordinary water when you can go one up? Hailed for its hydrating qualities, coconut water contains copious amounts of electrolytes. So much more appealing than an electrolyte sachet, coconut water is rich in minerals like potassium and sodium, which are depleted after you drink alcohol.  

The tasty addition of lime juice helps the body make something called ‘alcohol dehydrogenase’, an enzyme that aids in breaking down alcohol, and reduces hangover symptoms. 

2. Find a watermelon!

The watermelon’s 91% water content is an excellent way to rehydrate the body after one too many. It’s also an abundant source of nutrients, including vitamins A and C, potassium and antioxidants, as well as carbohydrates and fibre — all things we need after an indulgent night — or day — out. 

3. Dose up on zinc

A study published in The Journal of Clinical Medicine found that social drinkers who have a higher dietary intake of zinc report significantly less severe hangovers.  

For an even richer source of the mineral, seek out zinc-rich foods — like fish and shellfish, meat, pumpkin seeds, nuts, seeds, beans, and dairy — and incorporate them into your diet. 

4. Have a big breakfast

We don’t mean a fried one, sadly. The high fat and salt content of fried breakfasts can worsen any existing nausea and dehydrate you even more. Instead, toast (ideally wholemeal) with poached or scrambled eggs and fresh orange juice will give you a much-needed injection of what the body needs when recovering from a summer hangover.  

Eggs are an excellent source of cysteine, an amino acid that alleviates symptoms by breaking down the acetaldehyde we mentioned earlier. Vegans can get a good breakfast dose of cysteine from chia seeds and oats.  

5. Reach for the Marmite

Pub landlords swear by Marmite as a hangover ‘cure’ — and the science backs it up. A great source of vitamin B, the loved or loathed spread also replaces salts lost through alcohol consumption. When combined with toast, Marmite provides energy-laden carbs that are useful for recovery.

6. Make a banana milkshake

Famed for its post-drinking curative qualities — particularly for replacing potassium lost through drinking — the banana is even more effective in alleviating summer hangover symptoms when mixed with peanut butter and (plant) milk. 

Peanut and other nut butters are also rich in many of the minerals and nutrients that need replacing after boozy socials. They provide the body with a much-needed protein hit too, helping to repair depleted amino acids. 

7. Stock up on antioxidants

If you can’t face something as substantial as a milkshake, a freshly made juice of apple, carrot and beetroot offers instant antioxidant support. A shot of ginger helps with any nausea, too.  

This virgin cocktail packs vitamins C and E, along with quercetin, co-enzymeQ10 and n-acetyl-cysteine, which all help to protect the body against the effects of alcohol.  

8. Order a bowl of ‘hangover soup’

According to Koreans, a bowl of haejang-guk (meaning ‘soup to chase a hangover’) is the sworn-by antidote to symptoms of overindulgence. Variations on hangover soup (there’s more than one!) typically include vegetables, meat and rice or noodles in a hearty broth. Warm and comforting, haejang-guk delivers much-needed carbs, and is suitably rehydrating.   

9. Nip it in the bud

The sooner you feed your body with essential nutrients and supplements after drinking, the more bearable your hangover symptoms will be.  

10. Try milk thistle tablets

The benefits of milk thistle are many. Famous as a traditional herbal medicine for soothing an upset stomach, milk thistle is used for relieving the symptoms of overindulgence caused by alcohol. 

A perfect go-to after one too many cocktails, this member of the sunflower family with its striking, spiky purple blooms, supports and protects the liver from toxins associated with alcohol consumption. 

HRI Milk Thistle tablets are easy-to-swallow and contain a high dose of the active extract, Silybum marianum to help ease the effects of a summer hangover. 

Taking milk thistle consistently — rather than just after drinking — can help support the liver in its many vital functions, from filtering the blood and storing nutrients, to detoxifying other harmful substances.   

The active ingredient silymarin has also been found to increase levels of glutathione, which is involved in tissue building and repair. Three other compounds found in the plant — isosilybin, silychristin, and silydianin — are a popular natural remedy for supporting good liver health. Find out more about how milk thistle works here. 

HRI Milk Thistle tablets carry the THR (Traditional Herbal Registration) symbol for quality and safety in Europe, as approved by the government regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency.